Grilling Greek

March 25th marks Independence Day in Greece, where communities come together and host a variety of gatherings to celebrate. The festivities are centered on a common denominator: food.

We chose to honor Greek culture through the beautiful, bright and delicious fare that is Greek cuisine. We encourage you to explore the realm of all things Greek and incorporate their classic yet zesty food combinations. Bogged down with the same old mundane flavors? Exploring Mediterranean-inspired cuisine invites the opportunity to engage your taste buds in a fresh, new way.

If you’re looking for some inspiration, these chicken skewers are an ode to traditional Souvlaki and capture the distinct and aromatic flavors of Greek cuisine that you’re sure to love.

Place skewers on dish to serve with tzatziki sauce on the side and enjoy!

This next Greek-inspired salad combines fresh vegetables with a light and tangy sauce and pairs perfectly with grilled chicken or steak.

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Feta

Ingredients

1 medium orange bell pepper

1 medium red onion

1 medium zucchini

1 medium yellow squash

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (or 2 1/2 ounces)

3 tablespoons fresh basil

Directions

Thinly slice the basil and cut the grape tomatoes in half, setting both aside until later.

Remove stem and seeds from orange bell pepper and slice lengthwise into 4 or 5 pieces.

Cut red onion into 1/4 inch slices, and cut both the zucchini and the squash lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices

Using a brush, coat both sides of the vegetables with olive oil and eason with salt

Depending on the size of your grill, you may want to cook vegetables in batches

Place vegetables on grill and allow to cook until just tender and charred, flipping once while cooking. This should take approximately 10 minutes for the bell pepper and 6 minutes for the onion, zucchini and squash

Allow the vegetables to cool and then dice them into 1/2 inch cubes and transfer to a large bowl

In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of olive oil, vinegar and 1/4 tablespoon of salt and pepper

Combine dressing with vegetables in large bowl

Gently stir tomatoes into salad, sprinkle with feta and basil, and season with salt and pepper, if desired